Country: Congo
Closing date: 02 Dec 2016
Position: Program Coordinator for the WCS Republic of Congo Program
Division: Wildlife Conservation Society – Africa Program
Reports to: The WCS Congo Country Director
Location: Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Objective
To provide technical coordination, and grant development/management support to the WCS-Congo program.
Background
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is an international conservation NGO headquartered at the Bronx Zoo in New York City working to save wildlife and wild lands and to meet global conservation challenges in over 50 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the world’s oceans. The Africa Program is the largest of WCS’s field programs, with approximately 1,100 staff in 12 country programs focused across four major regions (Central Africa, Sudano-Sahel, East and Southern Africa, and Madagascar and Western Indian Ocean).
WCS is the largest Conservation NGO in the Republic of Congo and has been working with government, community and private sector partners to achieve conservation in multiple landscapes across the country for over 2 decades. In 1991, WCS signed an agreement with the Congolese Government to provide technical advice on the creation and management of the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park (NNNP) through the Nouabalé-Ndoki Project which has now developed into a public-private-partnership. WCS Congo has also been internationally recognized for its innovative work in collaboration with the forestry companies working in the peripheral zone of the NNNP (through PROGEPP – Projet de Gestion des Ecosystèmes de la Périphérique au Parc National de Nouabalé-Ndoki) in order to promote the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources outside of protected areas. WCS has been working with the government to manage Conkouati-Douli National Park since 2000, and full- the Lac Télé Community Reserve since 2003. WCS is currently advising the government on the creation of a new national park in the Batéké plateau area in the south west of the country and one in the Ntokou-Pikounda region, as well as providing technical advice on the management of the peripheral zone of the Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
The responsibility of the Program Coordinator will be to provide programmatic and management support to the WCS-Congo Program, Country Director in Brazzaville and the field. This support will include but not be limited to
Principal Responsibilities:
- Oversee management of grants including assistance with development of proposals, coordination of timely reporting, and compliance with donor regulations
- Participate in strategic planning for the WCS-Congo Program
- Provide technical support to field Project Directors in the implementation of existing work plans
- Work with the Congo Chief Financial Officer to monitor donor budgets
- Coordinate the administration of international consultant staff
- Provide technical assistance and oversight to ensure that Project Directors adhere to WCS-NY, WCS-Congo, and Congo government rules and regulations in project administration
- As requested by the WCS-Congo Country Director, representation of WCS at meetings on a national and international level
- Maintain good relationships with existing national and international NGOs and technical partners and foster, where possible, the participation of existing and new partners in relevant aspects of protected area management
Relationships
The Program Coordinator will report to the WCS-Congo Country Director, and keep the WCS-Congo Country Director regularly briefed and updated on all program activities.
The Program Coordinator will work closely on a day-to-day basis with:
- WCS-Congo Project Directors and senior staff
- WCS CARPE Chief of Party to ensure correct implementation, workplanning and reporting from WCS landscapes
- WCS Central Africa technical staff on cross-cutting issues
- WCS Africa staff in New York on grant management and programmatic issues
Key Qualifications
- An advanced degree in wildlife biology, conservation, or another field relevant to the position's responsibilities
- At least five years experience working in a conservation management or policy position, with experience in Congo or Central Africa a distinct advantage
- Experience in large project or program management, personnel management, administration, and fundraising
- Knowledge of conservation biology, practical conservation, and African conservation issues
- Passionate commitment to African conservation and enthusiasm about a career in conservation management
- Excellent communication and organizational skills
- Excellent, fluent spoken and written English and French
How to apply:
Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, should apply by sending an application letter and CV together with the names and contact information of three references to the addresses below not later than December 2, 2016. Please include “Congo Program Coordinator” in the subject line of your email. Send to: africaapplications@wcs.org. Candidates must also apply online via the WCS career portal by searching job title at: http://www.wcs.org/about-us/careers. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.